Unai Emery has said Aston Villa are happy to go the distance in their Champions League comeback bid against PSG on Tuesday (20:00 BST) – but the manager will not combine strikers Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins as the hosts aim to overturn a two-goal deficit.
Villa face a daunting task against the French champions after losing their quarter-final first leg 3-1 in Paris, but Emery has explained that his players were prepared to go beyond 90 minutes when they protected a 3-1 advantage against Club Brugge at Villa Park in the last 16.
“We were ready to play extra time and a penalty shootout,” said the Spaniard, who oversaw a 3-0 second-leg win in that tie.
“If we get extra time, fantastic. If we get a penalty shootout, that may be fantastic as well. The only thing is to win. One goal is not enough – but if we are winning, we can be close [to a comeback].”
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Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain: Penalties suit Emery
Emery’s Villarreal beat Manchester United in a 22-kick shootout in the 2020/21 Europa League final, with only goalkeeper David de Gea missing his attempt.
His Sevilla side were also perfect in the shootout as they beat Benfica in the 2013/14 final of the competition, having gone through on the now-defunct away-goals rule after a 3-3 aggregate draw with Valencia in the previous round.
“I have experiences of comebacks – positive and negative,” said Emery. “Now it’s something different. We want to write the history of Aston Villa – last year in the Conference League, this year in the Champions League and, hopefully, for years to come in Europe.”
“There’s massive belief” 💪
Morgan Rogers is excited ahead of Aston Villa’s quarter-final second leg against PSG ✨ pic.twitter.com/kkyS64Tgz5
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 14, 2025
Rashford and Watkins ‘next step’
Villa defender Pau Torres scored one of Villarreal’s penalties in that shootout win, while Rashford was on target for United, from whom the forward is now on loan at Villa.
Rashford has alternated with 15-goal top scorer Watkins as Villa’s out-and-out striker recently, although the loanee has started four of their last five matches, including in Paris.
“The next step – if I have time – is to play them together,” said Emery, hinting that he is not yet ready to combine the pair.
“We [used] Rashford playing [on the] left side, but now we are choosing more [to use] both playing as strikers. That’s the next step. I want to practice, I want to test [the combination] – but not now, [as there is not] enough time.”
“We know what they’re like now… if anyone’s going to turn it around it’ll be us!” 💪
Morgan Rogers on Aston Villa’s belief that they can turn around their Champions League quarter-final first-leg deficit against PSG tomorrow at Villa Park👀 pic.twitter.com/hlTbBlMKC1
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 14, 2025
Villa ‘competed’ at Paris St-Germain
The Villans took a 35th-minute lead in Paris through Morgan Rogers, but their advantage lasted less than five minutes and PSG were ahead by the 49th as Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored in quick succession.
Nuno Mendes’ 92nd-minute goal has made Villa’s challenge tougher, but they have won four and drawn one of their home matches in this season’s competition, keeping four clean sheets and winning by at least two goals on three occasions.
“We competed there like we planned,” said Emery, whose side have won their last four Premier League matches. “We were in a good balance.
“Our idea is to try to play with one strong plan [tactically] and try to be consistent and understand how the game is going over 90 minutes.”
The winners of the tie will face Real Madrid or Arsenal in the semi-finals, with the Gunners leading 3-0 before the second leg of that encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday (20:00).
🗣️ Unai on Villa Park: “The supporters they are going to help us with energy, help us a lot and they are going to transmit us the energy.” pic.twitter.com/fFBHjp6jdc
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 14, 2025
Aston Villa v Paris Saint-Germain team news
Leon Bailey missed Villa’s 3-0 win at Southampton on Saturday after a late fitness test, but Emery is hopeful the winger will be available against PSG.
Widemen Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen both came on against the Saints but will drop out of the matchday squad because they have not been included in the club’s European squad list.
PSG were not in action at the weekend and the early Ligue 1 winners have a full squad to choose from as they attempt to reach the final for a second consecutive campaign.
Fabian Ruiz must avoid a booking if the Spain midfielder is to be available for a potential semi-final first leg.
We believe. pic.twitter.com/InuNQ3pJCm
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 13, 2025
Aston Villa v Paris St-Germain expected line-ups
Aston Villa starting XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Rogers, McGinn, Rashford; Watkins
PSG starting XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
How to watch Villa v PSG: Live stream, TV channel
Live coverage in the UK is on Amazon Prime Video. Live streaming on a wide variety of devices is available through the Prime Video app.
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